You Don't Have to Wait for Its Release Date to Play Star Fox on Switch 2

Fans can play the upcoming Star Fox Nintendo Switch 2 game later today via a new free demo. Star Fox was officially announced on May 7 after months of rumors and leaks, and the full experience is set to launch on June 25, 2026.

While early rumors suggested that the upcoming Star Fox Nintendo Switch 2 game could be a brand-new entry in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, its May 7 announcement confirmed that Star Fox would instead be a full remake of the 1997 entry, Star Fox 64. This is technically the second remake Star Fox 64 has received, with the first coming in 2011 with the 3DS game Star Fox 64 3D. On top of being the second Star Fox 64 remake, Star Fox for the Nintendo Switch 2 will be the fifth game in the franchise to retell the story of the very first 1993 game.

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Star Fox Free Demo Out Later Today

During the latest Nintendo Direct, Star Fox received a brand-new trailer. Along with showing around 40 seconds of gameplay footage, this new look at Star Fox concluded with the announcement that a free playable demo of the Sci-Fi shooter was being released later today. This demo will be available to all Nintendo Switch 2 users, with fans simply needing to head to the Star Fox eShop page to download the playable teaser.

What’s That Weapon?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

What’s That Weapon?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)

According to the trailer, this Star Fox demo will include the game’s tutorial and one of the game’s earlier stages. If the footage used in the most recent Star Fox trailer is any indication, then the early stage that might be playable in this demo could be the ‘Meteo’ mission, which sees Fox McCloud and the rest of his anthropomorphic squad blast their way through a perilous asteroid field. ‘Meteo’ is the second mission in Star Fox 64, and its final boss fight would be a great way to show off the visuals of this shiny and new version.

In the full game, players will be able to choose their own route through the galaxy, picking from an assortment of planets to produce a unique string of missions. The Nintendo Switch 2 version of Star Fox will also feature a new challenge mode where individual levels can be replayed with alternate objectives. Brand-new cutscenes will also play in between missions during the main campaign, with each one aiming to flesh out Star Fox‘s story in new and exciting ways.

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Pre-orders are available now for Star Fox on Nintendo Switch 2 via the Nintendo eShop. While the digital version of Star Fox costs $49.99, the physical version retails for $59.99. There’s no Star Fox special edition currently available for pre-order, but UK fans will receive a Star Fox pin set and Velcro patch if they pre-order the game through My Nintendo Store UK.